Healthy aging and longevity Archive

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In the journals

Eating a heart-healthy diet is associated with better dental health, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was originally developed to lower blood pressure, but research has uncovered a variety of other possible health benefits.

In the new study, researchers with the Veterans Affairs Dental Longitudinal Study followed 533 men ages 47 to 90. The men had dental exams every three years over a 20-year period. A trained examiner checked the men for signs of root cavities, which can occur if the gums recede and expose the root surface. Root cavities lead to tooth loss, an outcome that most men understandably want to avoid.

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A landmark study indicates that lowering the top number to 120 mm Hg can reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and death.

Medical practice usually evolves fairly slowly. Experts meet every five to 10 years to review study findings and make recommendations. But occasionally the results of a single study are so decisive that it is brought to a halt early, the results are announced, and doctors change their advice to patients based on the findings. For example, in 2002 the Women's Health Initiative was stopped three years early when postmenopausal women taking estrogen and progestin were found to be at higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer than those who weren't on the hormones. The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy fell 70% in the next few years.

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Falling has become a major health issue for many older adults, but there is much you can do to reduce your risk.

When we were kids, falling usually meant a skinned knee or a scraped elbow. But with age, taking a tumble can have graver consequences, including hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries. Each year, one in three seniors falls, and one in five of those falls results in a serious injury.

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The raised, tortuous vessels may be controlled with support hose, and they can be eradicated in a quick, outpatient procedure.

Varicose veins are one cardiovascular condition that usually isn't considered serious or life-threatening. Around half of all women have them, and most regard them as a cosmetic annoyance. However, they can be responsible for swollen legs, skin changes, and the development of leg ulcers.

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Research we're watching

An analysis published online Sept. 17, 2015, by the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that doing tai chi enhances the quality of life for people with common chronic conditions.

Researchers analyzed data from 33 studies involving nearly 1,600 adults. Most were in their 60s or 70s, and all had one or more chronic conditions: osteoarthritis, breast cancer, heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All 290 participants in the breast cancer studies were women. There were 452 women (85% of participants) in the arthritis studies, 76 (16%) in the heart failure studies, and 92 (19%) in the COPD studies.

The need to support injured soldiers dates back to our country’s earliest days. That mission remains essential today. Those who may be eligible for VA benefits and services — veterans and their family or survivors — make up a quarter of the United States’ population. Individuals seeking care through the Department of Veterans Affairs deserve a thoughtful and compassionate evaluation to not only compensate them for their service, but connect them with the care they need.

Almost everyone suffers from trouble sleeping at one time or another. Insomnia — defined as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep — isn't a single disorder itself, but rather a general symptom, like fever or pain.

Because insomnia is so common, you can walk into any drugstore and find a bewildering variety of over-the-counter sleep products. And people are buying them. One small survey of people ages 60 and over found that more than a quarter had taken nonprescription sleeping aids in the preceding year — and that one in 12 did so daily.

Recent news reports of a study of sleep duration in geographically isolated societies in Africa and South America suggest that Americans are actually getting plenty of sleep because members of these tribes spend about the same amount of time asleep each night as people in modern societies. These controversial findings will be debated, but are not relevant to the widespread sleep deficit and associated health consequences in more modern societies.